Cost-function-based dynamic channel assignment for a cellular system

摘要

In a cellular system, channels are assigned for new calls using a cost-function-based dynamic channel assignment (CFBDCA) algorithm. In one embodiment, the CFBDCA algorithm is implemented in the cellular system's mobile switching center (MSC), which maintains a database containing one or more cost tables and a busy channel table. The entries in the cost tables reflect the costs of using a candidate channel in one particular cell of the cellular system, assuming that the channel is already being used in another particular cell. The entries in the busy channel table identify which channels are currently being used in which cells. The CFBDCA algorithm uses the cost tables and the busy channel table to generate cost of reusing the channel (CORC) values. Depending on the implementation, the CFBDCA algorithm of the present invention may or may not be used in conjunction with a measurement-based DCA (MBDCA) algorithm. If so, then the CFBDCA algorithm may be applied to a list of candidate channels generated using the MBDCA algorithm.